Automatic closure for elevator-hatchways.



PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

J. W. MGGHEE. AUTOMATIC CLOSURE FOR ELEVATOR HATGHWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE-i1, 1905.

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Witnesses I Atto rn ys PATENTBD DEC. 5, 1905.

Y I. W. MOGHBE.

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE FOR ELEVATOR HATGHWAYS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE I 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Witnesses Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. MGGHEE, OF ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOJOHN J. BERNARD AND ONE-FOURTH TO ROBERT J.- HOTALING, OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI.

AUTOMATICCLOSURE FOR ELEVATOR-HATCHWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1905.

Application filed June 1, 1905. Serial No. 263.247.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that LJ OHN W. MoGHEn, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Arkansas City, in the county of Cowley and State of Kansas,have invented a new and useful A utomatic Closure for-Elevator-Hatchways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic closures for elevator-hatchways ingeneral, and more particularly to those which are operated andcontrolled by the elevator-car in its ascent and descent.

The invention has for its object to simplify and improve theconstruction and operation of devices of this class; and with these andother ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, the same consists in the improvedconstruction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of an elevator-hatchwayprovided with a closure constructed in accordance with the principles ofthe invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, a portion of the floor andwall be ing shown in section. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective detail viewsillustrating parts of a locking device for sustaining one of the movablemembers of the hatch in a closed position. Fig. 5 is a side view showingsaid locking device in operative engagement with the hatch member.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

In the accompanying drawings the elevatorshaft 1 has been shown aslocated adjacent to and bounded on one side by-a wall 2 of the buildingin which it is located. The guiderails 3 are mounted in the usual mannerupon the uprights or supports 4.

In the present form of 'the invention the hatch has been shown as beingmade up of a half-door 5 and twoquarter-doors 6 and 7, the severalmembers combining to form a hatch of the requisite size and outline'toconstitute a closure for the hatchway. The members constituting thehatch are in practice disposed adjacent to the ceiling of the floorbelow the one having the hatchway or opening, where said members aresupported movably, as follows: Adjacent to the inner corners of thehatchway are supported vertical shafts 9 and 10, each of which is firmlysecured in position and reinforced by means of braces 11. Each of theshafts carries a sleeve supported thereon for rotation. said sleevesbeing designated 12 13. One of said sleeves (in the present instance thesleeve 12) is firmly connected with the quarter-section 6 of the hatch,the latter being reinforced by means of a pair of spaced braces 14,whereby it is connected with the sleeve 12. The quarter-section 7 isconnected with the sleeve 13 and is reinforced by means of a singlediagonal brace 15, which latter, however, is sustained by bridge-pieces16, so as to insure a rigid and durable construction Thequarter-sections 6 and 7 of the hatch are connected with each other bymeans of a link-rod 17, extending diagonally across the member 7 andconnected pivotally with each of the members 6 and 7, so that when oneof said members is turned upon its pivotal support a correspondingswinging movement will be imparted to the other member, sothat whenrotary motion is imparted, for instance, to the sleeve 13 the member 7will swing from the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 to theposition indicated in dotted lines in said figure, carrying with'it thequarter-section or member 6, which is likewise swung to the openposition, (indicated in dotted lines,) or vice versa, according to thedirection of rotation of the sleeve to which motion is imparted. In thusswinging from one position to another the corner of the member 7diagonally opposite to the corner which is connected with the sleeve 13will pass-between the braces 14 14 so as not to interfere with or beinterfered with by said braces. The members or quarter-sections 6 and 7are obviously located in different planes, the member 6 being showndisposed above the member 7.

The half-section 5 of the hatch is securely mounted upon a shaft 18,which extendstransversely across the hatchway and is provided withwheels or rollers 19, movable upon tracks I 20, adjacent to the sides ofsaid hatchway.

Said shaft is provided with radially-extending l hatchway when itapproaches the same and arms 21, pivotally connected with the outer endsof arms 22, the inner ends of which are pivotally connected at 23 withthe uprights or guide-rail supports 4.

The guide-rail supports 4 are provided with brackets 24, affordingbearings for verticallydisposed shafts 25 and 26, the former extendingupwardly and the latter extending downwardly from the hatchway equippedwith the improved closure. Each of said shafts is provided withradiating arms 27 27*, sustaining at their outer ends aspirally-disposed flange 28 28, and each of said flanges makingonefourth of a turn around the shaft with which it is connected. Saidflanges are adapted to be engaged by pairs of rollers 29 and 30,connected with the elevator-car 31 at suitable points near the lower andupper ends of the same. The shafts 25 and 26 are provided with radiatingarms 32 32, connected with each other by means of a link 33, wherebysaid shafts will be caused to move in unison.

The arm 32 of the shaft 26 has been shown as connected, by means of alink 34, with an arm 35, radiating from the sleeve 13, carrying thequarter-section 7 of the hatch. The arm 32 of the shaft 25 is connectedby a link 36 with the free end of an arm 37, terminating at its oppositeend in a sleeve or collar 38, which is supported for rotation upon theshaft 18.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the car 31 has been illustrated in descendingposition, the rollers 29 being about to pass out of engagement with thespiral flange 28, connected with the rock-shaft 25. On the downwardmovement of the car to this point the rock-shaft 25 has been oscillatedto the extent of one-fourth of a revolution in the direction indicatedby an arrow in Fig. 1 of the drawings, said motion being transmitted bythe link 33 to the rock -shaft 26, with the result of swinging open thequarter-sections 6 and 7 of the hatch by oscillating the sleeve 13,supporting the member 7. At the same time the rock-shaft 18, carryingthe half-section 5, has been moved in the direction of the arrow A bythe link 36 and arm 37, the half-section 18 being at the same timetilted from a horizontal to an approximately vertical position by meansof the pivotally connected arms 21 and 22. The parts then being in theposition illustrated in Fig. 2, the continued descent of the elevatorcarwill be unobstructed, and presently the rollers 30 near the upper end ofthe elevatorcar will pass into engagement with the flange 28, connectedwith the rock-shaft 26, thus causing the positions of the rock-shafts tobe reversed and the several sections of the hatch to be restored to aclosed position, it being obvious, of course, that the two flanges 28and 28 are oppositely disposed or wound with relation to theirrespective supporting-shafts. The car, it will thus be seen, will openthe automatically close the hatch after passing.

For the purpose of securing the half-section 5 of the hatch in a closedposition, so as to prevent it from yielding to pressure from above, suchas in the event of a person accidentally stepping thereon, locking meansare provided as follows: Supported in suitable bearings upon each of theuprights 4 is a rock-shaft 45, provided at opposite sides of saidupright with arms 46 47, the former of which extends in an inward anddownward direction, While the latter extends in an inward and upwarddirection. Pivoted upon the side of the upright adjacent to the arm 46is a latch member 48, having a slot 49, in which slides a pin 50,connected with the arm 46, so that by the movement of said arm the latchmember 48 may be tilted upon its pivot to move its upper end intolocking position under one corner of the hatch member 5, while when thearm 46 is moved in the opposite direction the latch member will bewithdrawn and the hatch-section 5 will be per mitted to swing over. Thearm 47 upon the opposite side of the upright 4 terminates in a bentportion or hook 50, adapted to engage an'aperture 51 in a plate 51,provided with a flange 52 and secured to one of the swinging hatchmembers 6 7 in a position where it will engage the arm 47, the flange 52being curved,

so as to guide the bent portion of said arm into engagement with theaperture 51. It will be observed that when the hatch members swing shutthe flanged plates 51 will engage the arms 47, thus tilting therock-shafts 45 and swinging the latch members 48 into engagement orlooking position. When the hatch members 6 and 7 swing open, theoperation is reversed, the bent portions of the arms 47 pulling out ofthe apertures 51 and the locking members or supports 48' being withdrawnfrom under the corners of the hatch-section 5, which is thus permittedto open.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.The construction is simple and thoroughly efficient for the purposes forwhich it is designed.

The construction herein shown and described is found especiallyapplicable when the elevator-shaft is located adjacent to a wall,partition, or similar obstruction. When the shaft is not thus located orobstructed, it may be found preferable to construct the hatch of fourquarter-sections, two on each side, the

said quarter-sections being arranged to swing and to cooperate in themanner herein described. It would also be feasible to construct thehatchway of two slidable and tiltable half-sections constructed andoperated in conformity with the construction of the halfsection 5 hereinshown and described. These and all similar modifications are consideredto be wholly within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is I 1. In a deviceof the class described, a hatch including two quarter-sections supportedfor oscillation in a horizontal plane, means for directly actuating oneof said sections, and a link connecting the two sections to cause-themto be operated simultaneously. I

2. In a device of the class described, a hatch includingtwoquarter-sections supported for oscillation in a horizontal plane,diagonal bracing means for one of said sections, Vshaped bracing meansfor the other section to admit of the passage of the corner of thefirstsection, and a link connecting said sections.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of supported verticalshafts, sleeves upon said shafts, hatch members connected with saidsleeves, braces extending from said hatch members to thesupporting-shafts, a link member connecting the hatch members, and meansfor directly operating one of the hatch members.

4. In a device of the class described, a pair of supported verticalshafts, sleeves upon said shafts, hatch members connected with saidsleeves, braces extending from said hatch members to thesupporting-shafts, a link connecting the hatch members to transmitmotion from one to the other of said members, an arm extending radiallyfrom one of the sleeves, a link connected with said arm, and means foroperating said link.

5. In an elevator-hatchway, a pair of supported vertical shafts, sleevesupon said shafts,

hatch members connected with said sleeves, a

link connecting the hatch members, an arm extending radially from one ofthe sleeves, supported vertical rdck-shaftaspiral guide means connectedwith said rock-shafts, an elevator-car, means connected with said car toengage the spiral guides upon the rock-shafts, arms extending from thelatter, and connecting means between one of said arms and the armextending from one of the hatch-section supporting-sleeves.

6. In a device of the class described, a hatch including twoquarter-sections and a half-section simultaneously operable to clear thehatchway.

7. In a device of the class described, a hatch including twoquarter-sections supported to swing in a horizontal plane and ahalf-section mounted upon aslidable rock-shaft, and means for impartingto the latter an oscillatory movement.

8. In a device of the class described, a hatch comprising twoquarter-sections supported to swing in a horizontal plane and ahalf-section supported upon a rock-shaft which is tiltable andmovable ina horizontal plane; pivoted latch means for supporting the inner cornersof the half-section, and means for actuating said latch means by theimpact of the horizontally-movable quarter-sections.

9. In a device of the class described, a hatch comprising twoquarter-sections supported to swing in horizontal planes and ahalf-section supported upon a rock-shaft which is movable in ahorizontal plane, latch-bars supported pivotally and adapted to engagethe inner corners of the hatch-section, rock-shafts havingarms slidablyengaging said latch-bars, and auxiliary arms extending from saidrockshafts and having engaging means supported in the path of thequarter-sections of the hatch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN W. MOGHEE. Witnesses:

HENRY B. FUNK,

JAMES C. TOPLIFF.

